As computer systems have evolved, users of such systems have had to adapt to rapidly changing technological innovations. This is apparent when considering all the different forms of desktop applications for managing information. Users can literally choose from thousands of different software options for merely utilizing applications on their desktop computers. Often users have at their disposal multiple computers and displays for interfacing to such applications as well. Modern applications range from word processors, spreadsheets, web browsers, calendar systems, email applications, CAD systems and so forth. With the ever increasing numbers of applications however users are finding it difficult to not only properly deploy respective applications but also to manage the enormous amounts of information generated therefrom.
In just one example concerning information management, users as they are working, often are bombarded with dozens of electronic interruptions per day. This can be quite demanding given that most users are quite busy trying to process a given task at hand. These interruptions can be generated from a plurality of sources such as email, scheduling notifications (e.g., generated from electronic calendaring systems), instant message notifications, electronic reminders, voice messages, as well as managing individual notices that may arise when dealing with any given application (e.g., messages that popup while running an application such as automated help or troubleshooting advice). With such disruptions, users are continually challenged to balance the given task at hand with trying to process all the information that may become available during the day.
The computer science and artificial intelligence community consider many aspects relating to how to assist users in a variety of ways with advice and support about tasks and status. In many aspects, these sciences attempt to implement computer innovations that make it easier for users to process information or alternatively to enable computers to more effectively assist users when performing computer-related tasks. Respective innovations from these disciplines however often lead to more applications that are useful in their own right, yet leave the user with an overall greater task of processing increasing amounts information from the various applications.
The challenges of handling information updates and alerts are exacerbated by the growing use of larger display surfaces and multiple display configurations. Users may be directing their attention to different regions and may find it costly to search, find, and potentially interact with graphical renderings of visual “heralds” that provide notification about messages of importance, and potentially also provide access, via one or more user gestures (such as clicking on a region of the displayed herald), to more details about messages or allow the invocation of particular viewers or other applications via gestures, and then return to the region they had been attending to continue to review or interact with other displayed items (e.g., returning to a primary word processing task displayed at a different location on the current screen or another screen). Users may also miss important notifications that are displayed in regions that are not being attended to.
Thus, explicit systems, processes, and designs need to be developed that consider the importance of information to be reviewed by users, and the ease and efficacy at which users will be able to see or have access to the information, while at the same time minimizing information overload and distractions for application users.